Story Empire

Today, I’m giving a sneak-peek of tomorrow’s start to my Open-House event featuring digital autographs and lots of fun interaction here on Archer’s Aim. While you’re here, please take a few moments to share my Headtalker which will announce the event tomorrow morning across social media. It’s free and takes just a few clicks!

The White Arrow is progressing nicely at this point and it’s still my hope to release the book in late September (maybe the 20th).

There are always a number of details for book to be self-published and two of them are the cover and the book blurb. The cover is underway and about ready to be revealed. Check back tomorrow and you may get to see it during my weekend long digital autograph session.

However, the blurb is another matter and requires some thought. It’s always a trick with a book series to reveal what’s coming in the next book without ruining the books before it. Likewise, you have to be careful not to reveal too much about the upcoming book. I think it’s doubly true of the last book of a series – don’t reveal too much of the ending and risk ruining it for the readers. With that trepidation, here’s my rough draft of blurb for The White Arrow.

Haunted by his failure. Hunted for his inheritance. Seeking the fulfillment of prophecy.

Athson’s failures haunt him but he now has the object of his inheritance: the Bow of Hart. Though Magdronu and his servants are weakened, they still seek to thwart the Withling prophecy by taking the bow if they can find him. But they are aware of a powerful, unknown Withling who’s been assisting Athson and hunt him as well. Now Athson is missing in the wilds of the Troll Heaths after trying to save his father and Limbreth and his companions are looking for him. Though Corgren’s whereabouts are unknown, everyone is on edge. But there’s another facet to the prophecy: the promised arrow to be sent by Eloch. A sign has risen in the night sky foretelling the arrival of the arrow which is the doom of Magdronu. All involved are looking for the promised relic and what’s worse is the troll army standing in the way of Athson’s escape. Even if he wins free, Athson’s destiny awaits him with the coming of the white arrow and confrontation with Magdronu.

I’m still uncertain I’ve captured the essence of the book with this blurb. I offer it now for a bit of review and opinion but I’ll also rely on my editor for some solid input. This will likely change over the next few months but I’ve got something down and that helps to get the final version completed.

Thanks for reading today. Please leave your thoughts below in the comments and I’ll answer as soon as I can. Join me tomorrow for the beginning of my open-house event where I’ll offer digital autographs of my books among other activities. It runs all weekend!

It’s been a long time coming but the release day of An Arrow Against the Wind has finally arrived. The book has been promised for over a year and many readers have asked for more during that time. I’m happy and excited to announce the book is now available for purchase on all retail sites.

There are a number of recent appearances I’ve made that have been posted on the News page. Today was my turn on Story Empire so I shared A Video Ode to Book Revision which compares the sometimes arduous task of revision with some fantasy videos. There are also blog appearances today on Bound 2 Escape and The Book Town.

I’d like to think a few people for some recent contributions. Staci Troilo over on Story Empire provided this nice piece of artwork:

Also, Margaret Daly over at Rukia Publishing came up with this cool visual for their post of the new book:

My thanks for these pieces. They are wonderful additions to the series artwork.

Next, I want to thank all the readers who’ve already started the series and are already into An Arrow Against the Wind. It’s a privilege to share this story and I’m thankful for everyone’s patience, support and well-wishes for the new release. So many people have been so kind along the way, it’s amazing.

In case you’ve missed the links for An Arrow Against the Wind, here they are:

Thanks for visiting today! Join me in welcoming Mae Clair, one of my fellow contributing authors from Story Empire.Also, welcome to a lot of new visitors today from various other blogs and groups including those from Story Empire and Mae’s followers. Take it away Mae!

When the Sky Had a Tail

Hi, friends! I’m pleased to visit P.H. Solomon’s blog during the Story Empire Roadshow. If you’re just now connecting, there are posts at all SE author blogs today, with tour prizes scattered throughout. Be sure to check the full slate of events HERE to view the latest happenings.

Grand prizes are up for grabs when the tour is complete (mine is a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card), but there are goodies along the way. The more you follow and comment, the more your chances to win. I’ve even got a surprise in store for today.

If you’ve been following the Story Empire Roadshow Bookmobile tour, you know that my mystery/suspense novel, Eclipse Lake, is on sale for .99 cents through April 7.

In addition, Kensington Publishing has reduced A Cold Tomorrow, the second book in my Point Pleasant series, to .99 cents for a limited time. Easily read as a standalone book, A Cold Tomorrow continues the urban legend of the Mothman in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, with the addition of a new element—UFOs and Men in Black.

See that green sky on the book cover? It factors into one of the early scenes in the novel. The idea for it came from an experience I had when I was six. Let me set the stage:

A warm summer night, almost dark, and I’m sitting on the front porch with my father. He and I often sat together at dusk, watching the sky. My memory of that evening is spotty but some moments are crystal clear. After a time, my dad drifted to sleep. He’d worked a long day and was relaxed.

Shortly afterward, something large and green trolled across the sky. I remember it as a semi-cloud, the color of algae-rich seawater. Light spilled from the bottom, drenching the street, front lawn, and half of the porch in an eerie green glow. The light swept over me but didn’t touch my father who remained tucked in the shadows.

I don’t know why I didn’t wake him. When you’re a kid you tend not question the unusual. The “cloud” moved past, and soon people were walking up the street, jabbering excitedly. My dad woke up and I followed him down to the sidewalk where a woman stopped to chat. She told my father “the sky looked like it had a tail.” I remember those words vividly. So vividly, one of my characters repeats them in A Cold Tomorrow. The green cloud makes an appearance too.

Had I seen a UFO? Maybe not of the alien variety but, even now, with the knowledge of an adult I can’t say what it was. Hot air balloon? Definitely not. Weather anomaly? Maybe.

What I do know is that I saw an object. In the sky. It was unidentified. Fits the description of a UFO for me.

Given the woman on the sidewalk confirmed something strange had happened that night, it will forever live as a goose-bump memory in my mind. I’ve since found out (through researching information for A Cold Tomorrow) that the year in which this occurred was a year for an unusual amount of UFO sightings in my state). Interesting.

Alien UFO saucer flying on a clouds background above Earth

Here’s a look at the some of the strangeness that takes place in A Cold Tomorrow. The passage below is from one of the opening scenes. Sergeant Ryan Flynn of the Point Pleasant PD responds to a call from local dairy farmer, Chester Wilson, who called after discovering a strange substance strewn across his fields. But that isn’t all that has him worried. Take a look:

“What exactly did you want to show me?” Ryan asked, trying to keep Wilson on track.

“It’s just over the next rise.”

Thankfully, the walk wasn’t far. As soon as they crested the hill, Ryan knew exactly what Wilson wanted him to see. A pattern of black-and-white splotches defined the bulk of a large farm animal lying on its side.

“Shit.” His muttered exclamation had nothing to do with stars or UFOs. Blowing out a breath, Ryan approached the cow wordlessly. Wilson and several other area farmers relied on their prized Holsteins to keep their dairy operations running smoothly. All he needed was for some drunk to have gone on a joyride and put a bullet through the animal’s skull. But all thoughts of tanked-up behavior fled the moment he got a closer look at the carcass.

Odd that the kill hadn’t attracted turkey vultures or crows, almost as if the poor thing was too defiled for a scavenger to touch. As far as he could tell there was no visible wound, bullet or otherwise. To be certain, he walked around the animal before squatting to take a closer look at its head.

“Sick, ain’t it?” Wilson asked.

Like something from a B horror movie. Ryan didn’t think an animal had that much blood in its body. The gory mess that had coagulated into a dense puddle under its head had come from its ears, nose, and mouth.

Grimacing, he glanced up at Wilson. “Was this animal ill, Chester?”

“No, sir. Fit as a fiddle.”

“Kind of a weird place to find her.” The cow was in a field Wilson didn’t use for corralling, judging by the lack of fencing. Even odder, Ryan saw no sign of bovine tracks or crushed grass in any direction. And no footprints to indicate the cow had been led there.

“How did she get here?”

“That’s just it.” Looking puzzled, Wilson scratched his chin. “I haven’t got a clue. I put her in the barn with the others last night. That was the last I saw her until I found her this morning.” He shook his head, remorse filling his eyes as he gazed down on the dead cow. “What do you think happened? All that blood… What could do that to her?”

Ryan hated to speculate. “I’ll call the county veterinarian for large animals.”

Stopping to help a motorist in trouble, Katie Lynch stumbles upon a mystery as elusive as the Mothman legend that haunts her hometown of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Could the coded message she finds herald an extraterrestrial visitor? According to locals, it wouldn’t be the first time. And what sense should she make of her young son’s sudden spate of bizarre drawings—and his claim of a late-night visitation? Determined to uncover the truth, Katie only breaks the surface when a new threat erupts. Suddenly her long-gone ex-boyfriend is back and it’s as if he’s under someone else’s control. Not only is he half-crazed, he’s intent on murder….

As a sergeant in the sheriff’s office of the famously uncanny Point Pleasant, Officer Ryan Flynn has learned to tolerate reports of puzzling paranormal events. But single mom Katie Lynch appears to be in very real danger—and somehow Ryan’s own brother, Caden, is caught up in the madness, too. What the skeptical lawman discovers astounds him—and sends him into action. For stopping whatever evil forces are at play may just keep Katie and Caden alive….

Intrigued?A Cold Tomorrow is a full-length mystery and suspense
Presently on sale for .99 Cents

Thanks for visiting with me today. Don’t forget to see what the other SE authors have going on during the Story Empire Roadshow. Leave a comment to be eligible for my grand prize drawing for a $10.00 Amazon gift card.

For today’s tour stop, I’ll also draw one randomly selected name for an ebook copy of A Thousand Yesteryears, the first novel in my Point Pleasant Series.

I’ve had the pleasure of reading Mae’s Point Pleasant series thus far and it’s excellent so make sure to click on her links to see more! You can view theStory Empire Roadshowtour schedule for today and all week. Also, please make sure to leave comments below so you can be in the running for Mae’s prize at the end of the week! Thanks for visiting today and have a fun week!

Note: The image of the flying saucer was one purchased from Bigstock Photos.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links on this page are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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